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Vancouver Formosa Academy ELSA Student

NEWSLETTER

Volume 2: Fall 2012

The Vancouver Formosa Academy

ELSA students have written

about the following topics:

What I Like to do on the Weekend

My Favourite Restaurant in Vancouver

About Me

My Family

My Best Holiday

My Goals For the Future

How I Practise English on the Weekend

My Favourite Meal

How to Stay Healthy

My Life in Vancouver

Shark Truth

Please read their interesting stories

Page 1

Pages 2-3

Pages 4-5

Pages 6- 9

Page 9

Page 10

Page 11

Page 12

Page 13

Page 14-16

Page 16

What I Like To Do on the Weekend I like the arrival of the

weekend. I can sleep late, do some

housework: clean my house, wash

clothes, and prepare a rich dinner.

I can go to the city parks to play

with my family. Because there are

many parks in the city, near a beach, a cliff, a forest, we

can play ball and ride bikes. Swinging is my daughter’s

favorite thing to do. Vancouver’s parks are very

beautiful. May Guan-Class 1D

Every weekend our family likes

to go to Queen Elizabeth Park,

where there are

pigeons, ducks and

squirrels.

My daughter likes

to see squirrels most. I like to take

pictures because there are a lot of flowers. We walk for 20

minutes to the top of the hill. My daughter is very happy

when she sees the fountain because she can play with

water with other children. Jenny Feng -Class 1D

On the weekend morning, I do the

laundry and clean the house. In the

afternoon, I go shopping at TNT. I

buy Chinese food. Then I go home

and cook dinner for my family.

Sometimes I walk in the park.

Maggie Cao-Class 1D

Every weekend, it's a nice day for

me. My husband and I wake up at

9:00 am. We like to have breakfast at

a Chinese restaurant. We talk about

something interesting while we eat.

After breakfast, we go to the park or go shopping. If the

weather is bad, we stay at home and watch TV or clean

our house. Sometimes we have dinner with our friends.

Ivy Liang – Class 3E

Happy ELSA students outside the school!

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My Favourite Restaurant in Vancouver

Denny's

My favorite restaurant is

Denny’s. I like Denny’s because

they serve my favorite food. It is

baked potatoes and toast. They

have many kinds of potatoes. I like mashed potatoes,

baked potatoes and plain potatoes. My favorite is baked

potato.

They also serve toast in many different ways. I

like toast in butter, with eggs, bacon and just plain.

Denny’s has burgers too. For dessert, my family and I

like to order order banana splits and turtle cake. My

family likes to drink milkshakes too. I like to drink

strawberry milkshakes. I also like to eat "Moons Over

My Hammy." It’s my favourite dish at Denny’s. It is

ham, scrambled eggs, processed Swiss and Canadian

cheeses served on grilled sourdough with a choice of

hash browns or grits. Jenna Gao-Class 2A

Jin Hai Ge

It has been over one year

since I landed in Vancouver.

Sometimes, I like to go to have

Chinese tea and sometimes I like

to eat sushi. Jin Hai Ge is a

restaurant in our neighbourhood. It is on 41st Avenue

and sometimes my friend and I go together. Sometimes

I have dimsum there with my family. My favourite food

there is the chicken feet. My daughter also

likes it too. There is also fish and peanut

congee, spring rolls and steamed

dumplings to enjoy. They are all my

favourites.

Almost every time I go there, there are a lot of

people and it is crowded, but eating that Chinese food

gives me pleasure. Helen Li-Class 2A

Meloty Fine Tea

Last month, my daughter

asked me to go to a restaurant to

eat some desserts. The restaurant

is in Richmond. The name of the

restaurant is Meloty Fine Tea. When I got into the

restaurant, I saw that there were 2 floors. There were

many windows on the walls, and all the windows were

covered by curtains. We followed the waitress to a table

and sat down. We ordered passion fruit tea, jasmine green

tea, Tahitian vanilla crème brulee, panna cotta and some

fruit mousse cakes. While we were waiting for our food, I

looked around. Most customers were women. Some were

talking with their friends and some were reading

magazines. After awhile, our food came, and the waitress

introduced the food to us. Then we started to eat. The

food was delicious and the gentle music surrounded us. I

like this place because it made me feel so relaxed.

Cindy Chen-Class 2A

For the First Food Restaurant

Kirin Restaurant

My favourite restaurants in

Vancouver are For the First Food

Restaurant and Kirin Restaurant.

For the First Food makes very delicious dimsum. It’s

crepes are very smooth. Every time, my family and I go

there to eat, we eat breakfast. I also like the different

kinds of smooth congee. The food at For the First Food

Restaurant is very cheap. I like Kirin too. Kirin makes

very delicious dimsum too. Its Chinese food is very good.

I live in Vancouver and no other restaurants have food

that tastes better, but it is very expensive.

Lisa Zou-Class 2A

Prince Seafood Restaurant

Last Sunday evening, I went out for dinner with my friends and my family from 7 pm to

9:30 pm. We had a very good meal. The restaurant we went to that night is the Prince

Seafood Restaurant and it is in East Vancouver. I had crab and lobster, and fish which Chinese

people love to eat for dinner. They were cooked with garlic, and were very delicious! I also ate salmon and beef that

night. Everyone enjoyed eating these dishes. After that, we ate Chinese cabbage; it is one of my favorite vegetables.

After finishing dinner, the restaurant served us some fruits for dessert, and also a bowl of red bean soup. These fruits

were apple, pineapple, watermelon and orange. Finally, we went home at 9:30. I drove my husband back home,

because he drank too much wine and beer. I enjoyed the meal that night. It was very good. by Hanna Li-Class 2A

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Five Sails Restaurant

I have been to many

restaurants, and so far, my

favorite is the Five Sails

restaurant. It is the restaurant in

the Canada Place landmark

building. Both the cuisine and

view are wonderful. The décor is very “vogue.” There

is a picturesque landscape and the restaurant windows

are very big. We can enjoy a beautiful view of

Vancouver’s coastal mountains, the ocean, many houses,

ships and the seaplanes coming and going etc….

The food is great. They have cooked food like

lobster, scallops, fish, halibut, duck steak and goose

liver. All of it is delicious. They also have outstanding

Okanagan Pinot Noir. My favourite dish is the goose

liver. It is also called fois gras. The service at the

restaurant is also very good.

In summary, the

restaurant view is fabulous,

and the service is wonderful.

The food is tasty. Although

everything is expensive, it is

worth it. If you want a

memorable dinner experience try Five Sails.

Lucy Liu -Class 2A

Fish on Rice Restaurant Fish on Rice is Japanese

cuisine. It is located on Kingsway,

near Metrotown. There are two

ways to order: "All You Can Eat"

or "A La Carte." Customers at "All

You Can Eat" tables are charged on a "Per head" basis.

There are different charges for lunch and dinner. There

are also different prices for weekdays and weekends.

Fish on Rice is an average restaurant, and it is

very clean and quiet. It is a good place for chatting.

There are free soft drinks, and they serve many different

kinds of food such as: appetizers, salads, teriyakis and

many others. There are many kinds of sushi and rolls.

For example, there is salmon sushi, tuna sushi, spinach

roll and avocado roll, etc. There are salmon and tuna

sashimi. For me, the main courses are salmon sashimi,

sushi and rolls.

My family and I often eat at the restaurant when I

go shopping at Metrotown. When we eat at the restaurant,

we always choose "All You Can Eat.” The waiter serves

some tea to us when we sit down. Very soon after we

order some food on an order sheet, it is ready. We listen

to the music and eat our ordered food. The salmon is

fantastic, salad is fresh, and the sushi and rolls are tasty.

The beef teriyaki is excellent. Generally, every kind of

food is good and the price is cheap. Each person is about

$20.

Do you like this restaurant after you read my essay?

You should go and try it. Sophia Li -Class 2A

Here are some Vancouver Restaurants

that our students liked best Five Sails

Restaurant (Canada Place)

Meloty Fine Tea

Restaurant (8328 Capstan Way

Richmond, BC)

Prince Seafood

Restaurant (2881 Grandview

Highway)

Fish on Rice

Restaurant

(4361 Kingsway

Burnaby)

Jin Hai Ge

Restaurant ( 2046 41st Ave)

Kirin

Restaurant (555 West 12th)

Denny's

Restaurant (1296 West

Broadway)

For the First

Food Restaurant (Kingsway and Earls)

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About

My name is Yong Liang

Zhang. I live in Vancouver. I

come from China. I came to

Canada in 2010. I am married,

I have one son. I don’t work.

In my free time, I like to fish,

watch T.V. and listen to music.

Yong Liang Zhang -Class 1J

My name is Han Hong Hai. I

am 55 years old. I am from

China. I have lived in Canada

for two years. I am married. I

have one son. I don’t work. In

my free time, I like to watch

T.V. and listen to music.

Han Hong Hai -Class 1J

My name is Sa Sa. I am 43

years old. I am from China. I

have lived in Canada for

seven months. I am married.

I have one daughter. I work

as a sewing machine operator.

In my free time, I like to visit my friends and watch

T.V. Sa Sa -Class 1J

My name is Sunny. I’m from

China. I’m Chinese. I speak

Mandarin. I’m married. I

have one son and one

daughter. I live in Vancouver

with my family. I don’t have

a job. I’m a student now. I go to school from 1-4

Monday to Friday. I like to study English.

Sunny Sun-Class 1H

Me

My name is Songul. My last name is

Yelkenkurul. I was born in Turkey.I'm

married. My husband's name is Cenk.

He works at the library. When I got

married I changed my last name. I don't

have any children. I live with my

husband in Vancouver. I came to Canada in August this

year. I don't work. I'm studying English at Vancouver

Formosa Academy. I'm an Elsa Level 1 student. Songul

Yelkenkurul-Class1H

My name is Ada. I came to Canada in June 2012.

I'm from China. My first language is

Cantonese. I am married. My husband's

name is Huo. I have two sons. They are

20 and 17. I like to go to shopping on

the weekend. Ada Feng-Class 1H

Hi. I am Len. I am from China. I live in

Vancouver now. I am a baker and work in

Richmond. I like weekends because on

weekends I don’t work and I don’t go to

school. I like to go shopping and I like to

go to the park with my family. I like living in Canada.

Len Zhu-Class, IG

My name is Annie, I'm from Guang Zhou,

China. I'm married. I have three daughters.

I came to Canada one year ago. I live in

Vancouver. I go to school from Monday to

Friday, from 9:00 am to 12:00pm. I am a housewife.

Annie Yan-Class 1D

Hi! My name is Angel Zhou. I'm from

China. I'm Chinese. My first language is

Cantonese. I'm married. I have one son.

My husband's name is Vison. My son's

name is Ivan. I work at a restaurant. My

husband doesn't work. My son is a student. I like to go

shopping on the weekend. Angel Zhou-Class 1H

My name is Ji De. I am from China. I

am Chinese. My first language is

Mandarin. I am married. My birthday is

January 21, 1963. I am forty-nine. I

have one daughter. I have been in

Canada for three months. I am a student at Vancouver

Formosa Academy. Ji De Yu-Class 1H

My name is Maria. I live here with my daughter,

my son-in-law and my two granddaughters.

I am from Mexico. I came to

Canada six years ago. I have

two sons, two grandsons and

two granddaughters in Mexico.

I have been separated for

seventeen years.

I study English in the mornings. In the evening, I

cook dinner and I do sewing by machine and by

hand, I read a book or watch television.

Maria Robles-Class 1D

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My name is Mei Yu Li. I am

from Guangdong, China. I

came to Canada in 2010. I live

in Vancouver, B.C. I am

married. I have two children,

one son and one daughter. I am

a student now. I study English at Vancouver

Formosa Academy. I speak Cantonese, Mandarin

and a little English. I study very hard because I want

to learn more English. Mei Yu Li-Class 1D

My name is Alex. I'm

from China. My first

language is Cantonese. I

study English at Vancouver

Formosa Academy.

I'm married. I have two

daughters. They are 21years old and 16 years old. I

live in Burnaby, BC with my family.

On Saturday morning, I like to watch English

soccer games on TV. In the afternoon, I do

homework for my ESL class. On Sunday, I play

soccer in Bonsor Park. I'm tired but I'm happy. I

like tennis and table tennis. I like badminton too. I

love sports. Alex Chen-Class 1H.

My name is Song Gan.

I live in Vancouver. I come

from Guang Xi, China. I am 36

years old. I am single. There

are four people in my family:

my mother, my father, my

brother and I. I work as a decorator and painter. In

my free time, I like to watch football on T.V. Song Gan-Class 1J

My name is Judy. I am from

China. I am a 44 year old

mother. I live in Vancouver. I

like Canada. I work in a Chinese

restaurant. I have one child. I’m

a good cook. On the weekend, I like to go shopping

and buy food. Sometimes I clean the house. I want

to travel to many countries. On the weekend, I am

very happy because I sleep until 11:30 a.m. After

lunch I go to a Chinese restaurant and drink tea. I

like to go with my family and eat dinner. I like to

make telephone calls to my friends every night.

Sometimes I like to take a bus to look around

Vancouver with my husband.

Judy Zhang-Class IG

My name is Amanda. I am from China.

My first language is Cantonese. I speak

Cantonese, Mandarin, and a little

English. I am married. I have one

daughter. I came to Canada in 2012. I live

in Vancouver with my family. I am a

homemaker and a student from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm every

Monday to Friday. I like the school, because there are two

teachers: Lana and Sian. They are easygoing and I know I

have many good friends here. Amanda Ma-Class 1D

My name is Yan Mei Liang. I

am from China. I came to Canada three

years and four months ago. I live in

Vancouver. I am a student and a

homemaker. I speak Cantonese and a little English.

I am married. I have a beautiful family. I live with my

husband and two daughters. My older daughter is twenty

years old. She is a student at UBC. She studies psychology.

My younger daughter is fifteen years old. She is a student in

Grade ten. They are working hard.

I like winter in Vancouver because I am very happy

to see snow. I have never seen snow before in China. When it

is snowing, we make a big snowman in our yard. It looks

happy. When I open the door and I see the snowman smile. I

smile, too. My favorite food is fish. I am good at cooking

Chinese food. Yan Mei Liang-Class 2C

My name is Rainbow. I am from China. I

speak Chinese Mandarin. I live in East

Vancouver. I am a 49 year old mother. I

have one child. I have one job. On

Sunday morning, I go to church. In the

afternoon, I go shopping with my

daughter. Sometimes I like to watch TV at home. I go to

school three days a week to learn English. Rainbow Tang-

Class IG

I’m from Vietnam. I’m 35 years old.

I’m working as a server at a Vietnamese

restaurant. Every day my work is very

busy. On the weekend, I am very happy

because I can be at home with my

daughter. We talk about school, watch TV, and eat barbeque.

I am new in Canada. I don’t have friends here. I like life in

Vancouver because the views are very beautiful. The leaves

on the maple trees turn red in the autumn. Kim Mai-Class IG

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My Family

My last name is Huang. My

first name is Rita. I am from

China. I speak Mandarin and

Cantonese. I am married. My

husband's full name is Dan

Liang. We have three children.

One is a daughter and two are sons. My daughter is

twenty-six. My older son is twenty-four. My

younger son is ten. My daughter and older son

work in China Both work as sale representatives.

My younger son is in school. Their names are

Yune, Jimmy and Ricky. They like China. I like

Vancouver. Rita Huang-Class 1H

My name is Jason. I am Chinese. I am

49 years old. I run a mining company in

China. I am married. I have two sons.

My father's name is Zilong. He's 75

years old. My mother's name is Yedang.

She's 72 years old. My wife's name is

Yonghua. She's 48 years old. My older son's name is Yiwen.

He's 28 years old. He's married. My daughter-in-law's name is

Fanlei. She's 27 years old. My granddaughter's name is Sixuan.

She's 4 years old. My younger son's name is Yiwu . He's 23

years old. He's a student. He studies at UBC.

Jason Chen- Class 1H

I have a happy

family. There are three

people in our family: My

husband, Tom; daughter,

Jennifer; and me. We are

living in Vancouver now. We

bought a small house last winter.

My husband sometimes lives in China. He

is a company manager. He is a good husband and

a kind father. We are proud of him.

My daughter is 16 years old. She is a

student. She is in grade 11. She is pretty and

sensible. She likes singing and playing the violin.

I love her very much.

I am a housewife. I like my new life in the

Canada. From Monday to Friday, I study English

from 9 o’clock to 12 o’clock. I always eat lunch at

1 o’clock. After that, I drink a cup of coffee and

watch TV. Sometimes, I clean the house or do the

laundry. I usually cook dinner at 6 o’clock. My

daughter really likes my cooking.

Tom and Jennifer make me happy every

day. I love my family.

Tina Tan-Class 2A

Everyone has a family. We live

together and feel very warm. There are

four people in my family. They are my

husband and two children. We live

together happily.

My husband works in China. He

is not a romantic man, but he works hard and is responsible. I

am very grateful to be with him. Because of his hard work, we

have the opportunity to come to Canada.

My daughter is 21 years old. She is very sensible and

studies very hard. She can play the piano and zither. She is

studying in university now.

My son is 14 years old. He likes to play computer and

sports. His favourite sport is badminton. He is studying middle

school.

I am studying English now. I have a very good teacher

and classmates. I met a lot of good friends here. I like singing

and playing golf. I like Vancouver. I love my family.

Linda Zhu-Class 2A

My name is Rainbow. I come from China.

There are eight members in my family:

my mom and dad, one older brother, one

older sister and two younger sisters. They

live in Ning Xia, China. I have two

sons. My husband and older son work and

live in Shen Zheng, China. I have been living in Vancouver

with my younger son for three years. I like Vancouver very

much. I enjoy living here. I also appreciate my teachers who

teach me English 。Rainbow Zhang-Class 1D

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There are six people in my family. I am married. I have a son, who is 21 years old this

year. He is studying English at Langara College. My husband's first name is Hong Hai. He and I

study English every day because we want to improve our English skills. My mother has come to

Canada to visit me for three months. She always says Canada has fresh air and good living

conditions. She has a wonderful time. I also have a sister. She lives in China with her son. She

enjoys travelling. I like my family very much. Xiao Yan Li-Class 2C

There are three people and a dog in my family. The three people are my wife, my son and

I. We're new immigrants. We come from Canton, China. We came to Canada in March, 2012.

My wife and I aren't working. We study English in ELSA program. My son is nineteen years

old. He studies science at Langara College. He started in September. We usually speak

Cantonese.

My dog is a new immigrant, too. We brought her from Canton. Her name is Dolly but

sometimes my wife and I call her "daughter". My wife and I enjoy walking our "daughter"

after dinner every day. Ji Jun Zhou-Class 2C

There are six people in my family: my husband, my daughter and son, and my mother-in-law and

father-in-law. My mother and father-in-law are in China. Sometimes my husband stays with us in

Canada. My daughter is in Grade 12 and my son is in Grade 11. My children attend classes at PW

Secondary School. I am a homemaker and an ESL student. Gui Hua Liu-Class 1D

I am married. I am a homemaker and a student. My husband’s name is Jian Chao. He can’t speak English so he

always tells me to study English hard. He likes to exercise. He goes to Central Park twice a day.

I sometimes take a walk with him. My son’s name is Hansen. He is thirteen years old. He is

taller than me and my husband. He likes to exercise too. He is a good basketball player. In

winter, he likes to ski. I hope my son grows up quickly. I love my husband and my son! I have a

happy family! Queenie Fan-Class 2C

Upcoming Family Activities in Vancouver

Date Event Place

Nov 24-Dec 24 Christmas Activities Grouse Mountain

Nov 28-Dec 24 Vancouver Christmas Market Downtown

Nov 28-Jan 2 Christmas Train Stanley Park

Dec 1 (4-8pm) Collingwood Winter Carnival Kingsway & Tyne St.

Dec 2 (1pm) Santa Claus Parade Downtown

Halloween is a fun family holiday. Class 1H students show their

Halloween jack o'lanterns

My Family

by Jack Wu and Qing

Xia-Class 1F

Family happy, quiet

returning, drinking,

kissing having a party

My family

My Family

by Emily Wang, Eve

Lin, and David Chen

Class 1F

My Family small, happy

cooking, cleaning,

watching sleeping on the bed

relaxing at home

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This is my family. I am

married. I have one daughter.

My husband’s name is Yuan.

He is short and thin, but he

has a sweet smile and is

healthy. My daughter’s name

is Alison. Her hair is long and

covers one eye. She’s tall and

has fair skin. She is 20 years

old. She is a student. She

likes shopping. She doesn’t

like sports. She really cares

for her parents.

Eve (LIN, Yi Hong -Class 1F

This is my big family. I’m married. I

have two sisters and one daughter and

one son. My mother is 83 years old.

She likes to draw pictures. She draws

very well, but she is weak. My older

sister is a dance teacher. My younger

sister is a dance teacher, too. My cousin

looks like a foreigner. My brother-in-

law is retired. My husband is strong.

My daughter looks like her father. She’s

graduating from university this year.

She is very beautiful. I have a happy

family. Lisa (HU, Xiao Ou) -Class 1F

This is my family. I am

Ken. I have 2 sons.

William is 26 years old

and Toby is 15 years old.

My wife’s name is Holly.

My two sons are tall.

They have big eyes. They

are very healthy. My wife

has a round face and is

happy. I love my family.

I love my two sons. I love

my wife. Ken (XIA, Qing

Hua) -Class 1F

This is my family. I am

married. My husband’s

name is Hao. He is tall

and funny. My mother is

83 years old. She is happy

and healthy. My father is

86 years old. He is thin

and intelligent. I wish my

parents well. I love my

family very much. Nora

(HE, Nan Hu) -Class 1F

My Family

This is my small family. I am married.

I have one son. His name is Ollie. Ollie

is 11 years old. He has a big head and a

full face. His hair is short and black.

His eyes, nose and mouth are medium.

He is an intelligent boy. My husband’s

name is Zhao Jin Qiao. He has a long

face. His hair is short and black. His

nose is big. He is tall and thin, but he is

handsome. My family is happy. I love

my family very much.

Emily (WANG, Cheng Fen) -Class 1F

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My Best Holiday In September I travelled to

eastern Canada with my cousin's

family and my niece. We took the

car to Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto

and Niagara Falls.

The Niagara Falls are very

beautiful. There are many big trees,

grass and flowers. There are two

Falls: The United States Fall and

Canada Horseshoe Fall. In the

afternoon we took a boat to the near Horseshoe fall. The

drops of water splashed our bodies. We saw a beautiful

rainbow. We were very happy. The Niagara Falls are very

beautiful. Many people took photographs, some people

walked in the street, some people sat on the chairs and

enjoyed the sun.

On the second day we went to Montreal. This is a

beautiful city. There are many old buildings like Notre-

Dame Basilica. This is a magnificent Gothic Church.

The next day we went to Ottawa. It's the capital city

of Canada. We visited the Parliament Hill. It's a

Victorian Gothic building. We took the elevator to the

top of the Peace Tower. We saw the Ottawa landscape

and the Ottawa River. We were very happy. This was my

favourite trip. Janet Liu-Class 2C

My favorite holiday is the

summer vacation spent in

Vancouver. Summer is the best

season in Vancouver. There is

little rain, It's usually sunny. I

often fished in the river, and

caught crab in the ocean. I walked along the beach in

West Vancouver with friends, and went to Suspension

Bridge in North Vancouver and to Burnaby

Mountain. There were flower everywhere, There

was a lot of grass. During my Summer vacation,

I ate a lot of fruit, such as blueberries and

cherries.

Two months of summer vacation ended, and I hope

that next year's summer vacation comes soon.

Leon Deng-Class 2C

This is my family. I am married. I

have two children. I have one son

and one daughter. Li is 24 years

old and Ji is 11 years old. My

wife’s name is Ji Yan Li. My son

studies economics in S.F.U. He is

tall and strong. He has my face but

my wife’s features. My wife often

works at home every day. She is

tall and smart. My daughter is

average height and chubby. She is

a happy child. Now she studies in

DeBeck School. She speaks a little

English because she has been here

only 5 months. She must study

English hard. I love my family

very much.

Jack (WU, Wei) -Class 1F

This is my family. I am

married. I have one daughter

and one son. My daughter’s

name is Hedy. Hedy is seven

years old. My son’s name is

Kevin. Kevin is five years

old. My husband’s name is

Peng. My two children are

cute and naughty. Hedy is

average height. She has long

straight hair and big round

eyes. Kevin has short black

hair and a round face. He

really likes Superman. I love

my family very much. Grace

(RUAN, Gui Yi)- Class 1F

My family has three people.

Helen is my wife. We are

reading ESL English in the

same school. She has big

eyes and short hair. Her

hair is black. He nose is

long and thick. I think she

is a good wife.

I have a daughter studying

at Point Grey High School.

She is in grade 9 this year.

Her name is Lily. She has

big eyes and long black

hair. She is very beautiful. I

think she is a smart girl.

David (CHEN, Lun Wei)

Class 1F

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My Goals for the Future Last year, I immigrated to

Canada, and I began my new life.

The first thing I did was travel to

Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and

Banff. This is a beautiful country,

and I like living in Vancouver. I thought I should do

something for my future, so this year, I started going to a

cosmetology class. I learned nail techniques, how to do

facials and make up. In this class I got to practice on

clients. Everyone is so nice. They all encouraged me, by

saying “You did a good job!”

Next year, in the May, I will graduate from this

class. I will get three diplomas. My school owner will

introduce me to a beauty salon because I need to get more

experience.

In the future, I plan to open a high-end salon here

with the owner of my school. Another goal, if possible, is

to open the same class in China. When the students

graduate in China, they can get the same Canadian

Diploma. It is good for people who want to come to

Canada. If I persist, I think I have chosen a right way for

my future. May Zhang-Class 4B

My biggest goal is to make my mother proud

My name is Oliver

Geovanny Valladares Zuniga and

I’m from Honduras, and I’m a new

immigrant. When I came here, I

thought every thing would be easy,

but when I started living in my new

place and country, I saw I needed to work hard for my

future and my Goals.

When I lived in Honduras, everything was easier

for a lot of reasons. One of the reasons is the language

because almost every one speaks the same language.

Another really important reason for me is my family,

because all my life, my family supported me and helped

me in almost everything, and they encouraged me and

tried to make my future good.

The biggest reason is because everything is easier

in my home country. My mother taught me everything I

know. She would give me advice and grounded me, so I

could be a better person. She treated me like a child when

it was the right moment and treated me like a man when I

needed it and when she taught me it was the right

opportunity. She is the best thing I have because she

fought for me and worries about me. She has worried

about me since I was a little boy and she still does. I hope

to finish my studies so I can make my mother feel proud

of me. I love my mom. Oliver -Class 4B

My name is Maria Elena

Alavarez and I’m from Mexico. I

have been living almost 4 years in

Vancouver. Currently I study

English in ELSA. I also work

overtime which means I’m tired all

the time. I’m happy because I’m learning a lot. When I

miss one day of school, for me I miss a lot. I have better

opportunities in my job. Jobs I can’t get because I don’t

have good English skills. It is sad to sad when you need

to say no when you work hard and you need money to

support your family. I pressure myself to study more and

more because this obstacle will stop me for be better. I

want to grow always. You know I’m dreaming about

teaching or helping my kids with their homework. I want

to show them everything in this life is possible. Maria

Elena Alavarez -Class 3F

A long time ago, while I

was living in Honduras, I got tired

of studying and studying.

After that, I decided to make

money to buy stuff

and everything I

needed for my daily life. I like computers

found they were the best way to make

money.

I stared to fix computers, formatting, updating, change the

language, memory ram upgrading software, and so many

other kinds of repairs. After that, I tried to do the same on

cell phones. This was kind of similar to computers, but

they are smaller and more sophisticated. I was trying to

fix my own phone first when I got some water damage or

a broken LCD. Then many new models came out, and

some people started to ask me if I could fix their phones,

and said I could try.

After that, so many people started looking for me, but this

was just when I was in my country.

When I came here to Canada, I started doing the same

thing, but with new models, and also with ipods and game

consoles. This was my way to try to fulfill my dream.

Now I need more knowledge about electronics so I can

have my own businesses and shops some day.

But before this I need to learn English because I want

a different life so, I’d like to learn anything to get a better

job like roofing, dry walling, carpentry, engineering ,

computer programming , computers repairs or cell phones

repairs .

This is the way to reach my goals and get a better life for

me in this new country. Juan Carlos Andino-Class 4B

11 | P a g e

How I Practice English

Websites and a paper dictionary are

my main routes to practice English.

I never speak English on my daily

work so I have to practice my

listening and speaking from the

website dialogues and stories. I

listen with headphones where they say and repeat again

and again until I understand what is the

meaning. Next I will go back to the website

and look at dialogues and stories and read them

a few times. If I see some new words, I will

mark them in a paper dictionary because after I can review

these words. I recommend www.rong-chang.com to study

by yourself. It is good for learning English.

Mai, Guo Liang (Marko)-Class 3F

On the weekend I often go to the supermarket to buy some

food for my family. After I go home sometimes I watch

TV about one hour on the weekend because I want to talk

fluently in English with everyone. Now I want to find a

job. Le, Thi Nhung -Class 3F

The most beautiful trail in Vancouver

Last year, my friend and I

went to Cypress Mountain. We

found a small trail---Yew Trail.

This trail is the most beautiful

trail. There is a

small river, many

Yew trees and small lakes, many kinds of

plants and a lot of flowers there. There are

inverted reflections of trees and sky in the water.

The beautiful trail is good for everyone. Especially

for seniors and people who need a wheelchair.

Janice Sun – Class 3E

on the Weekend How I practice English

on the weekends is pretty much

by talking to as many people as

possible. Luckily, I have two

jobs in Canada which forces me

to get out of my place, and

gives me more opportunities to meet people, and also

when I am at home, I watch and read

the news on the internet. For

vocabulary, I highly recommend using

flash cards. In my case, I do not have

much time to stay at home, so I use them when I’m on the

bus or skytrain. I think that the more vocabulary I have,

the better I can understand English. Right now, I would

say that I am facing an intersection in my life. I want to

get into a college for the first time in my whole life so I

can get a better job. It will be hard for me to do it, but I

am so excited about the challenge, and will be proud of

myself if I achieved it.

I believe that “life is study”, therefore we should

study as long as we can to help us improve our life,

whatever the subject is.

Sosuke Tomioka (Tommy) -Class 4B

A friend I have met in Vancouver

When I came to Vancouver. I felt

lonely and I was sad because I

didn't have friends. I couldn't

speak English and I didn't even

know how to go shopping, but

then I went to the ELSA class and

I met a friend——Jenna. She is my first friend in

Vancouver. She is positive and helpful. she told me where

to go and how to do things. she helps me with everything.

I am lucky to have met her because I am happy and

adaptable now. Connie Peng – Class 3E

A Funny Thing

A lot of funny things have happened since I came to Canada, and I want to share one

with everyone. One day I bought a body wash from Superstore because it was on sale. Then I

told my friend, and showed it to her. She was so excited. She took my body wash and then

screamed after about a minute. She told me, “ It ‘s not a body wash, it’s a hand wash. I read the

bottle carefully. Oh, she was right. I didn’t pay attention when I bought it. I just remembered the colour and

the bottle looked like what I usually use, so I bought it. My friend said, “You should go home and check

your body wash, is it the same?”

So I went home and looked at my body wash. I saw the bottle had hand wash written on it. Oh no, I

had almost used all of the hand wash instead of body wash. I phoned my friend quickly and told her. I

remember the last time I bought “body wash” it was on sale too. I just paid attention to the marked price and

didn’t read the bottle. Now, I think it was someone else who made the mistake by putting the hand wash on the body

wash stand. My friend said, “It proves one thing: Canadian products are so good because you used almost a bottle of

hand wash instead of body wash, and you didn’t get an allergy.” Eventually, I returned the hand wash, and the old

hand wash I used to wash my feet. Serena Deng-Class 4B

12 | P a g e

My Favourite

Lunar New Year's Eve Dinner

Lunar New Year is a

traditional Chinese holiday. On the

Eve of the Lunar New Year, many

families get together and have a big

dinner. The meal is different from any other meal. It

means saying good-bye to last year and saying hello to the

new year. So it is my favorite meal.

In my hometown, Lunar New Year Eve’s family

dinner is very important. There are fish, New Year’s

cake, dumplings and a lot of other food. The fish means

that our living things will be opulent every year. New

Year’s cake means that our living standard will be better

year by year. Dumplings are special Chinese food. There

are many kinds of stuffing in them. For example, they can

have seafood, pork, beef, and vegetables in them. It

depends on everybody's taste. We have to eat dumplings

on this day. Our family gets together. We are happy

while we cook this dinner. We set the table after we

finish cooking. This meal looks very delicious and

healthy.

All the people in a family sit down around the

table. First, we pick up a glass of wine to give thanks to

our parents. Then we wish everyone a healthy and happy

New Year. We eat and talk. We enjoy every Lunar New

Year's Eve family dinner. We wait for the new year that

will come. This is a wonderful night. This is a tasty

dinner. Sophia Li -Class 2A

I am a newcomer who is from

China. I like Chinese food. My

favourites are SiChuan and Hunan

food, because I like spicy food. I

like to eat steamed fish, Kung-Pao

chicken, stir-fried green beans,

braised beef, Duojiao fish and “ants on a tree.” Ants on a

tree are a type of stir-fried noodles. I also like to eat all

types of fruit. I always go to Chinese seafood restaurants

in Vancouver because my husband’s family is from Hong

Kong. They like to eat dimsum. We go to eat dimsum

every weekend.

I have been in Canada for three years. My home is

here. My family is my mother-in-law, my sister-in-law,

my husband Tom my and my sons Alfred and Bruce.

We all like Vancouver. We are

very happy to live here.

Jade Jing Zhang-Class 2A

Meal

My favourite meal is Chinese-style

cuisine. As we know, we have our

personal things to handle every

day. Sometimes we don’t want to

cook after work, and just go

directly to a restaurant. I do like spicy food. So I often go

to a Sichuan restaurant. They serve very good food. They

have boiled fish, pork cubes with green peppers, diced

chicken with green peppers, kung-pao pork cutlets and

julienned pork in pepper sauce, etc. I especially love to

eat boiled fish with some rice and an ice-cold coke. It’s a

good combination. Sichuan cuisine is so amazing.

Everyone should go to try it. I think more and more

foreigners are beginning to like it. Carina Han-Class 2A

My favourite meal is the

Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner.

It is the most important in China.

The New Year’s Eve dinner has a

chicken, duck, pork, fish,

seafood, shrimp, lettuce, mushrooms, soup, rice, dessert

and noodles. The dinner is very rich and delicious. It is

also a reunion for happiness, fortune, prosperity. Those

are common wishes we give each other on Chinese New

Year’s Eve. My favourite is the New Year’s Eve dinner.

Fanny Chen -Class 2A

My favorite meal is a

Japanese meal. Japanese meals

must use fresh ingredients. I like to

eat fresh fish. Japanese meals are

also popular in Canada. There are

many Japanese restaurants in

Vancouver and Japanese food is also sold in many

supermarkets.

Sushi is fresh fish served after it is cut into small

pieces. Sometimes the skin is on and sometimes it is cut

off. Some sushi is served on top of a small amount of

rice. Some other sushi is rolled with seaweed in the

middle. Due to the different colors of different kinds of

fish, sushi is also colorful and very nice. You can eat

sushi dipped in soy sauce and smeared with wasabi.

I often go to Japanese restaurants with my family. I

usually order some sushi and sashimi. I like salmon belly

sashimi the most. Usually, before I eat sushi, I sip some

green tea. Sometimes, when I am busy or do not want to

cook, I like to go to the supermarket to buy sushi. So

sushi is also convenient and can fill us up with food. I

enjoy sushi because of its sound, smell, taste and feeling

when enjoyed together. Flora Yi Hua Huang-Class 2A

13 | P a g e

We should eat

more fruits and

vegetables. People

should eat one

apple and drink

milk in the

morning.

Bai Song Su

My Life in Vancouver

People can go to the

doctor for checkups

and for vaccination

shots.

Tashu Paw,

Ramsaroop

We should wear more

clothes. Always wear a

thick jacket, a toque, a

sweater, a scarf, mittens and

boots.

Ankur Chitaniya, Tina Liu

The school should

be warm. We

should keep the

classroom

temperature

between 20 and 25

degrees. Lily Qi

You should drink hot

water, hot soup and

eat hot pot. You

shouldn’t drink cold

drinks or eat ice-

cream. Paul Guo

Exercise is good for our

bodies. We need to exercise

30 minutes every day. We can

run, swim, walk, do sit-ups,

and play sports. Nicole Feng

Fall is here and winter

will be coming soon.

Class 2B has some

good ideas on how to

stay healthy in the

cold seasons.

We need to wash our

hands after we touch

door handles, and after

we come from public

places. Sandy You

Sleeping is important.

Sleeping 8 hours from

10:00 pm to 6:00 am

is very good for your

body. Fiona Li

How to Stay Healthy

14 | P a g e

I came to Vancouver two years

ago, I feel happy living here.

Vancouver is a very beautiful

city. There are lawns, flowers

and trees. There are a lot of

activities in community centers.

People can leisurely stroll in the park and go to the

community center to participate in various activities. I

usually go for a walk in the park with my family or go to

the library to read the newspaper. In the afternoon, I go

to school to an ESL class to learn English. On the

weekend, I visit my friends and people from my

hometown or I visit another city. In the summer, I can go

camping, fishing and have barbecues. In the fall, my

family and I can appreciate maple leaves. I can go skiing

in the winter. In short, I have leisurely but colorful life

here. I love Vancouver. I enjoy my life here.

Rory Wang-Class 2C

My First Month in Canada

My name is Joanna Liang. I first came to Canada on

April 12, 2010. I brought my daughter and son. The

friend of my friend in China came to the airport to pick

us up. We went to her house. We stayed for five days at

her home. We found a house to rent then moved. We

found an ESL school and I found work cleaning houses.

I lived there for maybe four months then moved to

Vancouver. Joanna Liang -Class 1A

The time passes so fast, I

came to Canada two and a

half years ago. Now I am

already used to living here.

Vancouver is a beautiful city.

Although I don’t have a job, I

feel lucky. But every Monday

to Friday, I get up early. I make breakfast and lunch for

my son. In the afternoon, I go to school to study English.

On the weekend, I usually go to the park for a walk, and

talk to my friends. Sometimes I go to Canada Place to

enjoy the wind and sunshine. I think I am happy and

relaxed. I hope my son studies weill and that my family

is all well. Li Jian Pan-Class 2C

I have immigrated to Canada and

have been in Vancouver since

2010. However, I was worried

because I learned English a little

when I was a kid and I had

forgotten all about English. I

never used it in my country. When I first came to

Canada, the biggest problem was I didn’t understand

English, so I thought English was quilt important and

difficult, but interesting. I’m studying at VFA in a level

3 class, and I have been studying English for more than

two years. I’m looking forward to be able to graduate in

level 4. It’s my goal to achieve, and I’m trying to do my

best. May Shen – Class 3E

How My Life has Changed Since I Came to Vancouver

My name is Stella Lui, I came from Hong Kong. I have two daughters and a husband. Hong

Kong is a small country with many people and very crowded streets. Every morning, I made

breakfast. My two daughters went to school and my husband went to work. Then I swept my

house and cleaned the clothes. I went to the supermarket to buy food every day. This work was

very normal.

In July 2012, I immigrated to Canada with my family. I feel very happy here. The weather is

very good. The temperature is about 16 degree, not too hot and not too cold. Many people are very polite and

helpful. Every day now, my daughters, my husband, and I go to school. This is now my life has changed since I've

been here. Stella Lui – Class 3E

Two years ago I came to Canada with my family. My husband and I could not speak

English, so my son always had to follow us to translate when we went out to do anything. I still

remember I was nervous and red in the face when people spoke to me in English. By this time I

lost weight because I worried about doing everything including driving, shopping,

hospital........later I started to learn English at Vancouver Formosa Academy. Sian and Lana

taught me a lot of English. They were friendly, kind, and patient in class. Day by day I improved my English skills.

Now I am glad I can do many things by myself in Vancouver. Helen Wu – Class 3E

15 | P a g e

My life has definitely changed a lot since I came to Vancouver! As a newcomer,

I’ve changed from an office worker to a housewife, and I have no job now because I am studying

English and I have trouble with listening and expressing myself in English. I think finding a job at

present is difficult for me, so I must study hard and improve my communication with other

people. I’ve changed from a busy person to a relaxed people. Because I don’t need to work so

busy now, I have time to realize and learn more about CANADA and I can do anything I like to

do. I enjoy my new lifestyle now and I believe I’ll get better in English in the near future.

Su, Fang Fang -Class 3E

Learning English in ELSA Class

I have been learning English in an ELSA class since 2008. When I first came to the class, I

was both nervous and excited because I had never used English in my country and I now could

meet friends at school. In the first year, I just learned basic words and short sentences. Even

though I was studying hard, I felt it was difficult, and I was not good at communicating with

teachers and classmates, but I knew learning English was the most important thing in my life.

After a year, my English was better than in the beginning, so I was getting interested in English. In the second year, I

could speak and write short sentences, and I had found a job. At that job, I had to speak and listen to English every

day. It was a good way for me to improve my English. After two years, I could read and understand longer sentences,

and sometimes I used English to communicate with people. Now, my English and communication skills are getting

better and better, and I am so happy because now I can write short stories and letters, and I can watch TV, movies and

listen to videos in English. I really like learning English in my class because English is the most important language

the world. Ling Wei-Class 4B

Some Websites for Learning English

An Amazing Woman

It was so lucky that when I came to Canada last year, I met a beautiful old lady who

was my ELSA teacher .Her name was Joan, and she was a pretty good English teacher .She

taught me and helped me a lot because she knew I was a newcomer, and everything was not

easy for me. First of all, she was so smart that she could speak four different languages and

she had two university degrees, and it only took her three years. I really believe that she

knew a lot about many different areas. Then, she is a very nice lady which she always

helped us to understand more things. Such as Canadian culture, history, law and geography. Although she was always

busy at school, she told me how and helped me to find a job in Canada after I had finished school. She told me how to

prepare the interview, and she practiced the answers with me.

Finally, I got my first job in Canada .If it wasn’t for her; I wouldn’t have found my first job. I am really

happy about that. Next, she is a pretty kind person because she donates money to poor people and volunteers at a

seniors’ center on the weekend. Since seniors are truly lonely every day, she hopes more and more people will take

care of them if they have free time. Moreover, it is really clear that she is a very intelligent, nice and kind lady. I will

keep in contact with her and always try my best while living in Canada. Joy Yang-Class 4B

Easy Sites More Difficult Sites

www.manythings.org/ http://esldivlabs.vcc.ca/

http://www.pdictionary.com/ http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/

http://a4esl.org/ http://www.eslvideo.com/

http://www.esl-lab.com/ http://www.cbc.ca/ottawa/esl/

16 | P a g e

The Night I Got Lost

My name is Elaine Li. I came from China. I live with my brother's family. I like Vancouver because it is very quiet

and the air is clear. When I was in Vancouver for one week, I got lost at night. It was raining in winter. After we had

dinner at my sister-in-law's, father's house, I rode in my brother's car to my home. Suddenly my brother

had something to do and he asked me to get off close to my house. I forgot how to go home. I was very

scared! At first, I turned left instead of right. I walked alone in the alley. I told myself, "Don't worry! You

can find it!"In Vancouver, everywhere is the same if you don't understand the street names. I didn't have a

phone so I couldn't call anyone. Then I found a school. I remembered. I found my home. Since that time,

when I am not lazy and I have time, I walk everywhere on foot. Elaine Li-Class 1A

Shark Truth

The day before yesterday, four volunteers who came from the organization, Shark

Truth, talked to our ELSA class. They taught me a lot of knowledge about sharks. When I

found out what is happening around the world every day, I was shocked.

Humans kill so many sharks just in order to satisfy their appetite.

As we know, sharks are on the top of the food chain, and that

means sharks control the amount of living creatures below them,

and there are no other creatures that can take their place. In other words, sharks control the

marine environment, so sharks are very important for us - we need them.

In some Asian countries, shark fin soup is a traditional delicacy; they think shark fin soup is a delicious food. But

in fact, shark fin has no taste, and in the process of the production, they add bleach to make the shark white. This

bleach is harmful to our health, so we have to raise our awareness. Shark fin soup is not really delicious, it is not that

necessary in our life.

Now, we recognize how important it is to protect sharks. It is not too late to take action right now. Stop the

killing, and let the next generation see a real shark, not a specimen in a museum. David Zheng-Class 4B

Thank you to all Vancouver Formosa Academy ELSA students who contributed to this issue!

We hope you enjoyed reading it!

An online colour copy of this newsletter can be seen at www.vfa.bc.ca →Adult ESL→ELSA Program

Vancouver Formosa Academy

5621 Killarney St. Vancouver, B.C. V5R 3W4 604-436-2332 www.vfa.bc.ca

Level 3 and

4 students

with Shark

Truth

volunteers